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When we go online, no one thinks they’ll become a victim to internet phishing and hacking. But the WannaCry and DocuSign hacks serve as good reminders to remain vigilant, especially regarding emails. Cybercriminals are consistently throwing out more sophisticated forms of bait with the hopes that people will bite. Here are...

The election is being held today and those who vote in-person are rewarded with an “I Voted Today” sticker. The sticker is ubiquitous, but have you ever thought about it? What is the connection between REALTORS® and voting? We wanted to uncover the history of the “I Voted Today” sticker...

Spring Training is in full swing this year. If you’re not a baseball fan, you may be ignoring a large influence in our market. There are 15 major league teams at 10 ballparks across the Valley which generate an estimated $300 – $400 million of economic benefit each year. Events that bring...

Listings from the Sedona Verde Valley Association of REALTORS® (SVVAR) are now in the Monsoon® tax system. SVVAR and PAAR listings are now included in MLS searches by default but can be filtered out using the MLS field: Why is this awesome? If you’re working an area where ARMLS...

Subscribers often ask about “For Sale” signs uploaded to the MLS, signs can be in the MLS but cannot contain contact information. Contact information will soon be a $200 fine because it can allow a client to bypass their agent. See how to blur photos here. Rule (8.23) states,”A ‘for...

There are two Subdivision fields in Monsoon. Learning them both can be very helpful. Subdivision Subdivision is a default field in the Tax Search. It is a auto-complete box where you type at least three letters and select a choice. You can only make pre-determined selections but you select...

Two required fields often give Subscribers trouble, Exterior Stories & Interior Levels: Exterior Stories = 6 The Exterior Stories field under General Property Description should include the entire building the unit resides. Interior Levels = 2 the Interior Levels field reflects the number of stories of the unit itself, not of...

The Map Code/Grid field is required when entering a listing in flexmls. Many use the ARMLS Grid Map Foldout on ARMLS.com but there is a quicker way to look up the Map Code/Grid. From a Map Search, click the Locate Pin, type the address and then click Locate. Select...

Lockbox placement is a hotly debated topic, which we explored in Where Not to Place a Lockbox earlier this year. To further the conversation we’ve created a pictorial of additional places you shouldn’t place a lockbox. These photos are inspired by actual events. Written by...

There are 457 residential listings, listed by 392 Subscribers who may be losing buyer traffic because of the “99” pricing gimmick. Online buyers most often search in zeros, on many sites they have no choice. If a Buyer is looking for a home priced $100,000 to $110,000, your $99,999 listing...

A popular Web meme, also known as a Web trend, explores how different groups of people view what they do for a living, it’s uncleverly called the “What people think I do” meme. From the good to the bad, myths about the real estate profession remain. Below are popular...

In our recent blog post, Blurred Signs – A Photo Blog, we explained that Subscribers can’t post photos with contact information. One of the fastest ways to correct a photo with contact information is to simply blur the sign. You don’t need to run out and buy a copy...

Something isn’t right here! Can you spot what’s wrong in this front exterior photo? Is the photo acceptable to you, did they cross the line? Comment below if you’ve figured it out. If you’re stumped, click here for a video hint. We’ve explored a similar theme in a recent...

We produce a lot of numbers, stats and research at ARMLS – and we do it all for you! Really! Subscribers are welcome to take our statistical products and chop, copy, dismantle and then reassemble however they like. All we ask is that you credit us as the source of...

ON THE INTERNET, TYPING IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IS CONSIDERED SCREAMING OR YELLING. IT IS ALSO VERY HARD TO READ. THE WAY CONSUMERS VIEW LISTINGS HAS CHANGED. AN OLD CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING TRICK WAS TO USE CAPS TO HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT FEATURES, AND THIS CARRIED OVER TO PUBLIC REMARKS. THE IDEA...

In the world of MLS fields, List Price is the superstar. Yet, there are other lesser known fields that can shine for the right client. These seemingly random fields can represent specific client needs and niches. If you can’t get enough, find more obscure fields in part 2, part...

Loyal blog reader Randy H. had a great question for us on social media, “Does ARMLS have rules on lockbox placement?” In short, we don’t dictate in our rules where a lockbox must be placed on a listing. We do, however, have some advice. 1. Supra iBox lockboxes are...